The Census as a tool for enhancing Collective Consciousness

Here my goal is to add questions, the right perfect necessary questions, to stimulate attention on the state of our personal and collective immune system.

Questions, for your own consideration and self-reflection:

Do other people decide for you, or try to decide for you, what your relationship to Divine Source should be?

Is anyone or anything blocking you from attending religious services of your choice or study classes that you wish to attend?

Do you have regular time to have conversations with people who understand what you are talking about, and are interested in the same things?

In those conversations, do you listen to others with the intent to understand their message and point of view?

Do you write to organize your thoughts? Do you share your writing with others?

Do you read what others have written, about the interests you share in common?

The Human Standard is derived from the idea that the basic human rights listed in the First Amendment are actually components of a working immune system. Being socially shut down early in life can make a person reluctant to speak freely. Deliberately setting the goal to do those things as a regular routine can invigorate a sluggish immune system. A group meeting that by design holds the space for each person to speak and be listened to is called a consciousness raising group.

Consciousness is the ability to perceive, understand and act to improve our experience. We are made with built-in attraction to comfort and joy. A fully functional social immune system brings all of us into that experience. The state of our neighborhood and social relationship is a reflection of our collective consciousness.

Are you interested in being part of a regular conversation with others, practicing to speak and listen with intent to understand and be understood, expecting a cooperative social atmosphere? (Find a Group)

If so, bring the answers to the following questions to your group:

What topics or activities do you feel passionate or inspired or excited about?

What, if anything, is preventing you from acting on what you are inspired about?

As your group gains members, you can break into smaller groups which especially attend to specific interests. You can experiment with ground-rules for your group. For instance, you can try "No person speaks twice before each person speaks once." You can use a timer to make sure each person gets equal practice on either speaking more or listening more than what they have habitually done. you can use a talking stick to remind everyone of who has the floor. You can call it a game, with set rules, which goes on for a certain length of time; when it is over you no longer use those rules. You can write new rules, or possibly, no rules. But if you have no rules, be aware that your group will likely fall into the same old conversation patterns where some dominate the conversation and some sit in silence, and nobody really learns anything new. What good is that?

Groups can meet in real time in cyberspace using Skype (for example). Nonetheless, there is special value in being face to face with actual living people in the same place as you. Consider selecting a local group over a cyberspace group, as part of a deeper commitment to embody the values of the Human Standard in our actual bodies, homes, families and neighborhood.